Kenny Got Work scored 22 points in just his fourth start of the year at point guard, as Toronto’s Raptors Uprising GC bounced back in impressive fashion to overcome Pacers Gaming (53-46) to keep their regular-season alive.

If you managed to catch any of the game, you probably couldn’t tell that Kenny Got Work was making his first at point guard since Week 4, as the Raptors Uprising 2018 first-round pick’s versatility was on full display Thursday night.

Using a sharpshooting playmaker archetype, the Raptors Uprising’s point guard made smart decisions all night controlling the tempo for Toronto, en route to an efficient 22 points, eight assists, and two steals.

“Kenny Got Work works hard and has the ability to adapt very quickly to different situations,” said Raptors Uprising Coach Ognjen Micic on his leader. “Only a few players in the league can play all five positions and do damage, Kenny is one of them.”

The defense of Raptors Uprising (5-6) also played a major role in this one, after failing to show up a night before in a loss to Wizards District Gaming. Pacers Gaming (5-4), who entered Thursday’s contest averaging an imposing 61.8 points per game, were limited to a season-low 46 by the stifling defense of Toronto.

A big reason for that was OOC Slim, who checked in for his season-debut at small forward with Doza shifting to the bench, and the Raptors Uprising rookie stepped up big time in just his fifth regular-season start. Lining up as a slashing defender alongside pure lockdown defender TsJosh at shooting guard, the Raptors Uprising wings played a significant role in forcing 13 Pacers Gaming turnovers, which in turn was a real difference maker for Toronto in this must-win contest.

“We were able to get more stops than last game against Wizards District Gaming,” mentioned Coach Ogi after the win. “OOC Slim played well. He was huge on the boards for us and had a couple of key interceptions. He came in ready to play.”

While he only finished with two points, OOC Slim came out aggressive from the get-go, making an impact on several facets of this game that don’t necessarily show up on the stat sheet. He ended up chipping in with six rebounds and a game-high three steals to go along with his lone bucket.

Speaking of rookies, Pacers Gaming first-year player Man In A Car was a bright spot in his NBA 2K League debut, as Indiana’s small forward finished with a team-high 13 points, including knocking down several contested shots in the second-half to keep his team in this one.

Pacers Gaming actually cut the Raptors Uprising lead down to a single-possession with less than a minute to play, but an ice-cold three from power forward KingQuai614 on a nice dish from Kenny Got Work restored Toronto’s lead to six and put this one to bed.

“It was a good bounce back from last game,” said Coach Ogi. “It was great seeing us flip the switch just like we did last week after losing our first game. We played better and it feels good getting a win right before going to Orlando for The Ticket.”

UP NEXT: Raptors Uprising and the rest of the league will have the week to prepare for the most important tournament of the year: The Ticket. Commencing on Thursday June 13 in Orlando, FL, The Ticket is the final tournament of the year with the winner of the competition earning a guaranteed spot in the NBA 2K League Playoffs in July. Like the Turn, seeding is determined in the weeks leading up to the single-elimination competition, and with Thursday’s crucial win, Toronto will enter The Ticket in a better position than The Turn at 3-3.